Pembroke Watershed Association

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Pembroke Watershed Association

Dedicated to Protecting and Preserving Pembroke's Water

04/13/2026

If you missed the Massachusetts Basic Boating Safety Course we hosted in February, good news: more sessions have been scheduled, and registration is open now. 👇👇👇

04/04/2026

𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐰

People have been asking about this fish kill so here is the explanation.

Fish kills like the one observed at Tubbs Meadow are pretty common after such a long and frigid winter. Primarily caused by suffocation due to severe oxygen depletion under solid ice and snow cover. When ice prevents oxygen exchange and snow blocks sunlight—oxygen-producing plants below the surface are killed—then fish die, becoming visible only after the thaw.

Tubbs is shallow water so easily vulnerable to freezing all the way to the bottom. We hate to see it happen.

If you have more questions use the comments section.

04/03/2026

The Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act, taking effect April 1, 2026, mandates that all motorboat operators in Massachusetts complete a boating safety course and carry a certification card. The law is phased by age, with stricter enforcement (including fines) starting September 1, 2026.

Key Requirements & Timeline
April 1, 2026: Deadline for operators born after January 1, 1989.

April 1, 2028: Deadline for operators born on or before January 1, 1989.

Enforcement: A $50 fine applies for the first offense, with up to $100 for subsequent offenses.

Documentation: Boaters must carry their certification card on board.

Course Options: Approved in-person and online courses are available, such as those on Boat Ed ($44.95) or iLearntoboat ($59.95).

Exemptions: Merchant mariners, active members of the armed forces, and certain students operating boats for school, or those with certificates from other states, may be exempt.

Jet Skis/PWC: Operators must not operate within 150 feet of swimmers or shores, except at headway speed.

For more information, please visit the official Massachusetts boating law summary.

03/24/2026

Ｓｐｒｉｎｇｉｓｈｅｒｅ！
𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲! 💚
A healthy pond starts in our own backyards. Check out the comments for ways you can help!

03/18/2026

For our Oldham Pond residents, please see one of the slides I will be presenting at the PWA Annual Meeting May 18, 2026 (6:00 pm at Community Center) summarizing the mussel report. I attached the actual report link below in case you go for that type of detail!

Jude George
Water Quality Board Member

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qXvDdXbvKcbqVFGiBdJcmcm5gvnsUich/view?usp=drive_link

03/17/2026

Hi Neighbor!
It’s time to renew your membership in the Pembroke Watershed Association -- and we hope you’ll continue to support our valuable and historic ponds and waterways! Click here to renew or join online: https://pembrokewatershed.com/membership-and-donations/

03/13/2026

Save the date!

Pembroke Watershed Association
ANNUAL MEETING May 18

Join us for our Annual Meeting to connect with your neighbors and get the latest updates on the health of our local ponds and waterways. We have a lot of exciting information to share about our efforts to protect our community's water!

Here's what you can expect:
- A breakdown of what we've learned from the testing at Oldham and Furnace Ponds.
- An analysis of the treatments applied this year and the results we've seen.
- Our strategic plans to keep our waterways healthy and clean.
- And much more!

This meeting is open to everyone! It's also the perfect time to renew your annual membership — or sign up to support the Pembroke Watershed Association for the first time!

Date: Monday, May 18th, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Pembroke Community Center, 128 Center St., Pembroke

We hope to see you there!

https://pembrokewatershed.com/membership-and-donations/

03/04/2026

Brad Chase of the Mass Division of Marine Fisheries and Massachusetts Diadromous Fish Project Leader, will discuss the current status of local fish passage improvements that can benefit sea-run fish such as river herring and American eel.

Diadromous refers to fish that migrate between saltwater and freshwater to complete their life cycle.

March 11 at 6:30pm, Halifax Town Hall.

01/23/2026

FREE MASSACHUSETTS BASIC BOATING SAFETY COURSE IN PEMBROKE

Massachusetts law now requires certain boaters to complete a Boater Safety Course, and the Pembroke Watershed Association (PWA) is making it easy to get certified!

PWA is proud to partner with the Massachusetts Environmental Police (https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-environmental-police) to offer a free, in-person Massachusetts Basic Boating Safety Course at the Pembroke Community Center. While online courses typically charge a fee, this in-person course is offered at no cost and provides official state certification upon completion.

Whether you’re a new boater or need certification to comply with the updated law, this course will cover essential boating safety rules and best practices to help keep everyone safe on the water.

When and where:
Dates: February 16–17, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Location: Pembroke Community Center
Address: 128 Center Street, Pembroke, MA 02359

Please note: Students must attend all sessions to receive certification.

Registration is required and space is limited.

Register online:
https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/239631
Class ID: 5116

Early registration is encouraged, as classes often fill quickly!

12/21/2025

2026 New Boater Regulation! Please forward to any boater you know who does not use Facebook. Thanks!

https://www.boat-ed.com/massachusetts/boating_law/

Address

Pembroke, MA
02359

Website

http://www.pembrokewatershed.com/

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